Levi Jordan Plantation State Historic Site facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
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| Location | 7234 FM 521, Brazoria, Texas |
| Designated | 2001 |
| Built | 1848-–1851 |
| Architect | Levi Jordan |
| Architectural style(s) | Greek Revival |
| Governing body | Texas Historical Commission |
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Recorded Texas Historic Landmark
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| Designated | 1967 |
| Reference no. | 9570 |
The Levi Jordan Plantation is a historic place and building in Brazoria, Texas. It is located about 4 miles southwest of the city on Farm to Market Road 521. This plantation was a large farm where enslaved people were forced to work. In the mid-1800s, it was one of the biggest farms in Texas that grew sugar and cotton.
In 1967, the plantation was named a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark. For many years, Professor Kenneth L. Brown and the Department of Anthropology at the University of Houston have studied this important site.
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Who Was Levi Jordan?
Levi Jordan (1793–1873) was a farmer from Georgia. In 1848, he came to Brazoria County, Texas. He brought twelve enslaved people with him. Before this, Jordan owned farms in Louisiana and Arkansas. He wanted to find a better place to grow crops.
Jordan bought 2,222 acres of land in Brazoria County. He bought it from Samuel May Williams. Levi Jordan was married to Sarah Stone. They had one daughter named Emily.
After buying the land, Jordan went back to Arkansas. He sold his old farm there. He also traveled to Louisiana to sell land. His daughter Emily, her husband, and their children lived there. Jordan wanted his whole family to move to Texas. He hoped to build a farm that would last for many generations. While Jordan was away, the twelve enslaved people he brought to Texas stayed. They worked to prepare the new land for farming.
After Levi Jordan passed away in 1873, his land was divided. It was given to his grandsons, J. C. McNeill and C. P. McNeill.
Life at the Plantation
The Plantation House
The first buildings on the plantation included the Jordan family home. There were also cabins for enslaved workers and other farm buildings. The Jordan House is a two-story home. It was built between 1849 and 1851. The house is built in the Greek Revival style.
The family home was made with yellow pine wood. This wood was brought in from Florida. The enslaved workers used local oak wood. They carved the window sills and studs for the house. They also made bricks by hand for the fireplaces.
Farming the Land
At first, sugar cane was the main crop grown on the plantation. Levi Jordan built the largest sugar factory in Brazoria County. Other nearby farmers also used his factory.
After the American Civil War ended in 1865, growing sugar cane became very difficult. During the Reconstruction era, the plantation changed. Levi Jordan and his great-grandsons started growing cotton instead. Many of the formerly enslaved people and their children stayed. They worked as sharecroppers to grow and care for the cotton fields.
Cabins for Enslaved Workers
The cabins where enslaved people lived were located northwest of the Jordan House. By 1860, it is thought that more than 130 enslaved people worked on Jordan's plantation. Some of them had been born in Africa. These cabins were used by workers until 1887. After that, they were no longer used.
The cabins no longer stand as buildings today. However, researchers have dug up the area. They found many items left behind by the former workers. These discoveries help us understand their history better. More than 600,000 artifacts have been found on the property.
The Historic Site Today
The Levi Jordan Plantation was owned by Jordan's family until 2001. Then, a group called the Houston Endowment bought 90 acres of the old plantation. In 2002, they gave the land to Texas Parks and Wildlife. Today, the Texas Historical Commission owns the site. Texas Parks and Wildlife manages it as the Levi Jordan Plantation State Historic Site.
A local group called the Levi Jordan Plantation Historical Society was started in 1993. This group includes descendants of the people who lived and worked there. It also has other community members. This group helped create a website about the history found through archaeology.
In 2003, Texas voters approved money to help fix up the property. The plantation house began to be restored in 2012. As of November 2015, you can visit the site for tours on Saturdays.
See also
